Fic: Rare GiftsTitle: Rare GiftsAuthor:ivyladyGiftee:mystkytenWord Count: ~6,500Rating: NC-17Pairing: Severus/HarryWarnings: Slash, Mpreg, Forced Bonding, AU Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.Summary: Harry's magic has increased after his defeat of Voldemort, but he can't control it. Albus hatches a plan to help him control it.Author's Notes: Thanks to faynia and chiralove for hosting this wonderful fest for the second year. A big thanks ♥ to S for reading over my story and giving me much needed feedback. You're awesome.

“Severus,” the old man started, “you know I would not request such a thing of you if there were any other way. I have researched the problem for weeks, and the only solution I have found is what I have told you.”

“I have no experience with these issues,” Severus began. “Surely you can find someone else more compatible?”

“No one that I trust,” replied Albus.

“That was a low blow, old man.”

“Merely the truth, my boy,” Albus said. “Harry’s power has grown exponentially and he does not have the experience or training to control it. It is only a matter of time before it overpowers him and something catastrophic happens.”

“I know, Albus, but I would like to have some choice in my life. I spied on Voldemort for your protection; I kept the Potter spawn safe because you asked it of me; I lived at this school teaching idiotic, hormone-driven miscreants because it was where you needed me. Now, you want me to bond with Potter to help him control his magic. When will I get to live my life?” demanded Severus.

Albus looked sadly at Severus.

“You have done all of those things and more, my boy, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Believe me, I want nothing more than for you to live your life as you please, but young Harry will not have a life to live if he isn’t stabilized soon. I know it is a lot to ask, but will you do it?”

Severus closed his eyes and thought about what the Headmaster was asking of him. He knew that something had to be done, but he did not want to be yet again the sacrificial lamb. It seemed that he would once again embark on a foolish escapade at the behest of the craziest wizard he ever had the misfortune of knowing.

“Fine,” he answered.

“Splendid, Severus,” the old man beamed. “I’ll bring young Harry here tomorrow. The house elves will ready your room for another occupant. Be nice, hmm?”

“I will not provoke the boy, Albus, but do not ask any more of me. You will explain to him what is happening,” Severus said.

“Yes, yes. I’ll take care of everything. It will work out for the best, you’ll see,” Albus told him.

Severus cringed. Whenever Albus said everything would work out fine, Severus always ended up in a mess. This time seemed no different. With an air of resignation about him, Severus rose from his chair and left the Headmaster’s office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry Potter sat in the Headmaster’s office in shock. He thought about everything that had happened to him that day and realized that he should have seen it coming. The Headmaster showing up and taking him away from the Dursleys' house seemed like a dream come true, one for which he was willing to do anything. Well, almost anything.

Now, however, having just finished his "chat" with Dumbledore, he saw that there was more to his removal than he originally thought. Just like Dumbledore to do something nice to cushion the blow of bad news. As he turned over the older man's words in his head, he could only think one thing.

"Why?"

Dumbledore looked at him, his blue eyes seeming to pierce straight to Harry's soul. Harry lowered his head, the burst of emotion that he felt almost overwhelming him.

"Because you need him," Dumbledore replied.

"I've done all right by myself," Harry muttered mutinously.

"Yes, you have," soothed the older man, "but you are a still a child. You need someone to take care of you."

Harry looked at Dumbledore, anger showing in his eyes. He could not believe the man had the audacity to say that Harry could not take care of himself. Where was that caring when he was being half-starved and neglected at the Dursleys? Who soothed him and cuddled him when he woke up shivering from a nightmare? No one! Harry had to look after himself. That was how it had always been, and that is how it would be. He would not allow anyone to tell him otherwise.

"I wasn't too much of a child when everyone asked me to kill Voldemort," he stated, his eyes cold and furious.

"The prophecy—," Dumbledore started.

"Sod the prophecy! I was a kid. I didn't know anything about this place until I was eleven years old. Then I find out not only am I magical, but also I'm expected to kill some maniacal wizard with delusions of supremacy just because I didn't die when he tried to kill me. All the adults were afraid of him, terrified to even say his name. I had to kill him, I had to fracture my soul, so don't call me a child!"

As Harry raged, his magic whipped around him. It shattered glass and knocked knick-knacks off tables. It exploded books and scorched furniture. The angrier Harry became, the more destructive his magic. Chunks of plaster fell from the ceiling and strips of wood peeled off the floor. Even after he finished his tirade, the younger man's magic still wreaked havoc on the office. Harry tried to pull it in, but he could not control it. Finally, he felt magic enveloping him, soothing his aura and allowing him to rein in his power.

Harry looked around the room and was shocked by the amount of damage he had done. The Headmaster's office looked like Hogsmeade after the final battle. There were scorch marks and detritus all over the room. Everything was in a state of upheaval. For the first time since he had killed Voldemort, Harry felt afraid.

"That, my dear boy, is why you must bond with Severus. Your magic is wild and untrained. If you do not ground yourself against someone with more control, you will experience more outbursts like this one," explained Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir," sighed Harry.

"Harry," the Headmaster began, "I do not do this to punish you, but to help you. I know you may not believe me, but I only want what is best for you."

Harry could only nod his head as he stood up and left the room. He felt like he was in a daze. His feet moved without his knowledge, taking him past the gargoyle and down the stairs. He wandered aimlessly around Hogwarts for what could have been hours until he arrived at an unfamiliar door. Before he could touch it, the door opened and the snarling face of Severus Snape came into his view.

“I have always thought you were a dunce, Potter, but I never knew you were crazy. I cannot believe you have agreed to that insane old man’s scheme.”

Harry simply stared at the man.

“You might as well come in, Potter. You’re going to be spending a lot of time down here,” Snape said.

Harry followed Snape into the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The bonding was quiet, attended only by Poppy Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall. Poppy smiled pleasantly at both men, hoping to alleviate their fears, but Minerva frowned throughout the ceremony. She did not agree with Dumbledore’s reasoning, and felt that both Severus and Harry should have been given other options. Unfortunately, it was not up to her.

Minerva felt the magic pulsing around her as the spell finished. A kiss, begrudgingly given from Severus to Harry, settled the magic. Minerva’s eyes widened, as she saw the magic sparkling around Harry and Severus. Brilliant blues and magnificent reds danced around each other, touching and twining and creating vivid purple sparks.

Minerva smiled, even as Potter shoved Severus away from him, and Severus demeaned his young bond mate. Their magics were compatible, even if their temperaments were not. Minerva watched the fireworks between the two men as they walked out of the Headmaster’s office, and she could not help thinking that maybe Albus knew what he was doing after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You’re such a bastard!” Harry yelled.

“It is not my fault if Weasley has the emotional maturity of stone. I thought we had agreed that you would not tell them!” Severus retorted.

“They asked me what was going on and I was tired of lying to them. They’re my best friends.”

Harry’s friends had noticed subtle changes about his behavior—he was calmer and more in control of his magic—and asked him questions about it. He managed to deflect quite a few of their inquiries, but after a month of being badgered about the changes, he finally broke down and told them all about the bonding. Ron was horrified, and so was Hermione. When Harry explained Dumbledore’s reasoning, Hermione was slightly mollified, but Ron required a calming draught.

“You imbecile! You put my life—and yours—at risk simply because you did not want to lie to your friends? This is not a game, Potter! If anyone found out about us, we would be lucky if I only lost my job,” Severus snarled.

“Ron and Hermione would never betray me. I trust them,” explained Harry.

“I don’t. You will invite them to our quarters this evening after dinner where they will submit to a Wizard oath. If they do not, I will Obliviate them,” Severus said, his voice quiet.

“That’s not fair!”

“You should know by now, Potter, that life is rarely fair.”

Harry opened his mouth to argue some more, but Severus brushed past him and went into his private laboratory.

~*~

“You could have been nicer,” complained Harry.

“Potter, I am not nice to anyone.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to show some civility toward my friends.”

“I am not interested in being nice to them. I wanted to ensure that they could not accidentally reveal our relationship to anyone. Be grateful that all I required was an oath, and not a vow,” replied Severus.

“They’re important to me, and since we’re stuck together for the rest of our lives, you should try to get along with them. I’m not going to stop having them over just because you don’t like them!”

“You will do whatever you want, Potter. You always have,” Severus sneered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus jerked awake, his hand automatically reaching for the wand under his pillow. He looked around wildly, trying to figure out what had pulled him out of such a deep sleep. It could not have been a student, as all but a few had gone home for the Christmas holidays and he was not required to look after the ones that remained. It was not an intruder, as he was alone in his room, and he did not hear anything out of the ordinary. He was just about to lie down and try to go back to sleep when he heard it. The faintest whimper drifted to his ears.

Severus got up and put on his dressing gown. Still clutching his wand, he cracked open his door. Severus scanned the hallway, not detecting any disturbances. As he passed Harry’s room, he heard the whimper again.

“The brat,” Severus thought, resigning himself to checking on the younger man.

A quick Alohomora got him inside the room, but Severus was unprepared for the invisible shield encasing the bed. Cursing Potter and nursing his singed hand, Severus dismantled the shield.

Severus laid a gentle hand on Harry’s arm, hoping to wake him from his terror. The young man, still caught in the throes of his nightmare, interpreted Severus as a threat. Harry’s magic swirled around Severus, throwing him against the wall with a loud crack.

“Damn,” Severus muttered, holding his broken left arm.

“Potter,” he barked, “wake up! You are having a nightmare!”

Harry continued to struggle in his sleep, his movements becoming more and more frantic. His breathing became more labored, and Severus knew that he had to do something quickly. He could not use his wand, however, as his right hand was supporting his injured arm. Severus closed his eyes and concentrated on bringing his magic to the forefront.

“Aguamenti,” Severus said, sending a jet of water toward Harry.

It did the trick. Harry shot up, instantly awake and very upset. He turned toward Severus and scowled.

“Why did you do that?”

“It was the only way to wake you,” explained Severus.

“You could have shaken me awake,” Harry complained.

“I tried. Your magic did not like my interference and threw me against the wall, breaking my arm in the process.”

Severus saw Harry look at his arm, and the guilt that came across the young man’s eyes. A twinge in his gut made Severus swallow his sarcastic insult. As much as he wanted to blame Harry, he knew that the young man could not help what he had done. He wanted to ask the young man about his nightmare, about the dream that had him so terrified that his magic reacted instinctively; however, the look in Harry’s eyes stopped him. The guilt and shame went so much deeper than what had occurred that night and Severus knew that his bonded would not tell him of his terror.

“It is nothing that a quick healing spell and a day’s rest cannot fix,” Severus told Harry, hoping to soothe the boy’s guilt.

“Let me do it?” Harry asked.

Severus nodded his head.

“Come sit by me.”

Severus sat on the edge of the bed and let Harry minister to him. Harry sat next to him and gently touched Severus’s arm. Severus could sense his bonded’s power flow over him, reaching within him. He could hear Harry’s soft chanting, and feel the heat from his touch. The warmth of his bonded and the magic flowing through him lulled Severus into a deep sleep.

~*~

Harry felt safe and warm. The arms around him held him close, and the scent of his companion soothed him. He breathed deeply and cuddled closer, wishing he could stay where he was forever.

All too soon, his pleasant reverie ended. The arms around him tightened, then relaxed as his bed companion awakened. He could feel Severus’s heartbeat increase as the man tried to extricate himself from Harry’s grasp. Harry pretended to sleep as Severus carefully pulled his arms from around him and pulled the covers over Harry. Harry had to hold in a gasp as he felt Severus’s lips brush his forehead.

Once he heard the door close, Harry opened his eyes. He took in the indentation that Severus had left in the bed and Severus’s smell on the pillow and smiled. He buried himself in the covers and drifted off to sleep, wondering how he could spend more time with Severus.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Potter, you are a complete imbecile. That I am wasting my time trying to teach you Occlumency is apparent. If you will not even attempt to remember what I am trying to impart, then leave. My time is valuable, and there are many other projects upon which I could be working instead of being here with you.”

Harry lowered his eyes, unwilling to let Snape see the anger in them. His bonded had been goading him for weeks, pointing out his flaws and harping on any mistakes he made as if the world were going to end. Harry missed the closeness the two had shared over Christmas holidays. After Harry’s nightmare, he and Severus had started spending time together reading or talking. They ate meals together, toured the castle, and even slept together to keep away Harry’s nightmares. Harry really enjoyed it, but once school started up, Severus had reverted to his frosty persona.

Now, the two were constantly arguing. Hermione gave him knowing looks when he complained about Severus’s treatment, but he did not know what she meant. She would not answer his questions when he asked her outright, and Ron was just as clueless as he was. One thing Harry did know is that he was not going to be cowed by anyone, especially not his husband. He rose to the bait every time, throwing barbs of his own at Severus.

Except today. Harry was exhausted. He spent all day in class or doing his homework, afternoons playing Quidditch, and evenings learning to control his power. If he was not learning magical theory, he was dueling. He was so tired—physically and mentally—that he felt like he would collapse.

“Look at me, boy!” Severus snarled. “I will not have this discussion with the top of your head.”

Harry forced himself to look his husband in the eye. Snape stared back at him. Harry studied his bonded, looking for a glimmer of the man who had been so nice and understanding during the holidays. Not seeing it, he lowered his gaze to the floor. He was too tired to engage in a battle of wits with Severus. He knew he would lose.

Severus misunderstood his actions.

“This is not a game, Potter! You must learn these skills to save yourself. Your power has increased exponentially, and if you do not learn how to close off your mind, you could find yourself doing magic without conscious thought. Do you want to turn your year-mates into toads again?”

“No,” mumbled Harry.

“Then you will try again, and this time you will keep me out of your head,” Severus stated.

“I can’t,” Harry replied listlessly.

Snape looked at him again, and this time, Harry did not try to hide the misery he felt. He was so tired of everything—school, magic, Severus—that he just wanted to go to bed and never wake again. Harry could not explain such weariness to anyone, and had done his best to hide it from those closest to him, but here in the dungeons, with his mind overburdened and under attack, he let it show.

“Come here, Harry,” Severus said, opening his arms.

Harry gratefully went to his husband.

“What is wrong?” Severus asked.

“Nothing,” Harry muttered into Severus’s robes.

“If that were true, you would not be clinging to me and looking as if the world were ending.”

“Sometimes, it feels that way,” Harry muttered.

Severus sighed.

“I know you still worry about everything, but you should come to me with these problems. It is not healthy for you to bottle up your feelings.”

“Says the man who personifies ‘repressed’,” snorted Harry.

“Precisely. Do you want to end up like me?” asked Severus.

“At least people leave you alone. Even though you’re a hero, they aren’t always after you. Everyone always wants something from me, but all I want is to be left alone.”

“I know, Harry,” Severus said, rubbing his back. “I think you’ve had enough instruction for the day. Why don’t you go take a shower and then head to bed? It is the weekend, so no one will notice if you do not return to your dormitory.”

Harry sighed with relief, glad that Severus was going to allow him to spend the night. He slept better with his husband, but had not had the opportunity since term started. Severus was adamant that no one know of their relationship, so Harry had to spend his nights alone.

“Thanks, Severus,” Harry said, kissing him lightly on the lips before heading toward the bathroom.

Severus was so shocked by the kiss that he did not scold the young man for taking liberties with his person.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The kisses became more frequent between the two. Severus still maintained a rigid schedule with Harry, but after practice, Harry would shower and the two of them would sit quietly on the couch, Severus reading while Harry cuddled into his side. They would share a few kisses and caresses before Severus would send Harry back to his dorm.

Neither man had much experience with intimacy or relationships, so they had decided to take things slowly. Severus, ever practical, had read books on the subject. He had neither the inclination nor beauty conducive toward physical encounters of any kind, and he was determined to do his best for Harry. Harry, on the other hand, enjoyed learning as he went along.

As the two men grew closer, their magics became more entwined. Severus’s blue aura contained red flecks, while Harry’s red aura had blue streaks. Each touch, each kiss, further integrated their magics and cemented their bond. The more intimate they were with each other, the more their magics pushed them together. Their auras reached out to each other, touching, teasing, and tangling together. When Severus and Harry kissed, their auras would dance around each other, merging and separating, mimicking the wizards. Time would stop for the two men, and they could kiss for hours without realizing it.

Each knew in his heart that he was falling in love, but both were afraid to voice the feeling. Never having had such affection in their lives, they were unsure how to express themselves and afraid of rejection. Their auras, however, knew how they felt, so each man was bathed in warmth and love whenever they saw each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I’m tired,” Harry said, yawning. “I should get back to the dorm.”

Severus was conflicted. He did not want Harry to leave him. The kisses and touches that they shared were nice, but they were not enough. He wanted more, and he could not think of a single reason why they should not go forward.

The two kissed lazily, savoring each other’s taste. Harry’s tongue teased Severus’s, twined with it, then escaped to explore the rest of his mouth. Severus moaned, and felt Harry smile against his lips. He felt intoxicated, drugged with the taste of Harry.

Severus’s hands moved up and down Harry’s back, trying to memorize the feel of the young man. Harry pressed closer, his kiss becoming more insistent as he ground himself against his husband’s leg. Severus moaned again, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on Harry’s shirt.

“Let me,” Harry whispered.

A mere thought and both men were naked and sprawled on the bed. Both men were embarrassed, red blushes adorning their cheeks. Severus broke eye contact with Harry to study the body of his lover. He liked what he saw.

Harry was beautiful. His body was lean, lightly muscled, and surprisingly hairy. Thick black hair covered his arms and legs, and his groin. Severus found his eyes drawn down toward his lover’s cock. It was not a perfect erection like those he had read about in erotica. It was red, slightly thick, and purple. A drop of pre-cum sat on the tip, enticing Severus.

“Magnificent,” he breathed.

Harry beamed. The smile made him even more attractive to his husband. The two kissed again, their hands roaming all over their bodies. Harry rubbed Severus’s cock, delighting in the shiver his mate gave. Severus bit his lover on the neck, a little too hard by the whimper Harry made. Severus mapped every inch of Harry’s skin with kisses, savoring the saltiness of its flavor.

When he reached Harry’s engorged cock, he took it into his mouth a little too quickly, gagging at the sensation.

“Are you all right?” asked Harry.

“I am fine. It was just…unexpected,” Severus explained.

“You don’t have to…”

Severus answered him by licking his cock. Harry gasped, spreading his legs wider to allow his husband better access. Severus smiled, and slowly took Harry into his mouth. The keening sound that escaped his lover was more than enough encouragement. Carefully, Severus began to move his mouth. Up and down, he slid, working his tongue around Harry’s erection. The young man babbled and moaned, begging Severus to complete him, but he did not.

“Not yet,” Severus whispered.

As he sucked his lover, Severus opened the jar of lube that was next to them on the nightstand. He put some on his index finger and tried to enter Harry.

Severus kissed Harry to take his mind off the pain. The kiss was fiery, passionate, and spoke of Severus’s repressed desire. He wanted to possess his husband from the inside, and he tried to brand his essence into Harry. As Harry moved against him, Severus once again tried to breach him. This time he moved more slowly, barely forcing his way past the tight ring of muscle and allowing Harry to adjust before he moved.

“Ohhh,” Harry moaned. Severus smiled.

He stretched his lover first with one finger, then two, then three. Finally, when Harry was on the verge of orgasm, Severus applied lube to his own aching erection. He carefully positioned himself at Harry’s entrance and pushed forward.

Harry gasped, and Severus immediately stilled.

“Is this okay?” Severus asked.

“It’s fine. I just had to get used to it,” replied Harry.

The rhythm was awkward, halting, and the men butted heads a couple of times, but the lovers enjoyed themselves. They laughed softly as they moved together, finally finding a pace that matched them both. Severus wanted to hold out, to make this time last forever, but the look on Harry’s face and the feel of his tight passage were too much. He managed to stroke Harry to completion just before his own orgasm. Severus collapsed onto his mate.

Neither man noticed the dancing lights that surrounded them as their aura merged and their magics united.

They were joined for eternity, until death and beyond.

~*~

In the Headmaster’s office, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall felt a surge of happiness rush through Hogwarts. Minerva was perplexed, but Albus was smirking. She raised an eyebrow at the old schemer.

“Go, brat,” Severus swatted at Harry’s arse, “before you start something that you do not intend to finish.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Harry smirked. “Last time, it was you who couldn’t keep up with me. I do remember you begging—”

Harry did not get to finish his thought as his husband kissed him ferociously. Severus crushed his mouth to Harry’s, letting his husband feel his desire, his arousal. Harry’s unique flavor seared through him, ensnaring his senses and bewitching his mind. Severus’s arms tightened around his lover, molding Harry’s lightly muscled body to his own.

Harry’s hands ran over Severus’s back, and chest, touching his lover in all the right places. He slipped a hand through Severus’s hair, enjoying the silkiness of it. He gave himself over to the kiss, arching into his husband’s touch.

They would have stayed like that forever had Harry’s stomach not lurched, causing him to back away from Severus.

“Are you all right?” asked Severus.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little twinge in my stomach,” Harry replied. “Now, where were we?”

“Later,” Severus said. “I still have marking to do because a certain insatiable teenager could not wait until I was finished.”

As the end of the school year arrived, Severus and Harry saw each other much more infrequently. They still spent most of their nights together, but with Harry busy revising for N.E.W.T.s and Severus busy preparing his students for N.E.W.T.s, O.W.L.s and year end exams, they usually did no more than kiss each other goodnight and fall into an exhausted sleep.

Harry also was not feeling well, which was a point of consternation between him and his husband. Severus was insisting that Harry visit Madam Pomfrey, but Harry was just as adamant that he did not need the mediwitch’s help. The two men had a terrible fight over it, with Harry returning to his dorm room for the first time in months. Severus was upset with Harry and himself. He had not meant to lose his temper so quickly with his husband, but he was worried. Harry’s nausea and insomnia had only gotten worse, and his mood was deteriorating.

Severus did not want to admit it, but he was scared that something was seriously wrong with his bonded.

“You’re a married man; I’m sure I don’t have to explain the mechanics,” Poppy smiled.

“But I’m not a woman, am I?” Harry was confused.

“Of course not! Where would you get such an idea?”

“Well, only women can get pregnant. You just told me I’m pregnant. Doesn’t that mean that I have to be a woman?”

Poppy laughed.

“Harry, dear, you’re a wizard. When two strong wizards bond heart and soul, they can sometimes conceive a child. You and Severus are two such wizards,” she explained.

“A child?” the two men echoed.

“Severus!” Harry exclaimed. “When did you get here?”

“Just now,” Severus said before turning to Madam Pomfrey. “Did you just say that Harry is with child?”

“Yes, he is. Congratulations, Severus. You will be a father in eight and a half months.”

Harry and Madam Pomfrey watched as Severus stumbled over to his husband’s bed before settling himself next to his husband.

“Harry, are you okay with this?” he asked.

Harry smiled at him. “I would have liked to wait before starting our family if I had known we could have one, but I’m happy about the baby.”

“I love you,” Severus murmured, capturing his husband’s lips.

Tears came to Harry’s eyes. It was the first time that Severus had admitted his feelings for Harry. Harry could feel the love through their bond and their magic; nevertheless, he was overjoyed to hear the words.

“I love you, too,” Harry replied, holding his husband tight.

The two lovers were so wrapped up in each other that they did not notice Madam Pomfrey leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“We’re going to have to tell everyone eventually,” Harry said one late June afternoon.

The two men had moved out of Hogwarts into Severus’s childhood home. Spinner’s End was not much of an estate, but Severus owned it free and clear, and it was already heavily warded. Harry did not mind the state of the house; he was just happy to have a place of his own. Besides, with a little wand work and a few well-placed charms, the house went from drab and dreary to warm and inviting.

Now, the two men were sitting outside enjoying a quiet dinner. Harry did not want to invite speculation into his life once again, but his trousers were becoming too tight and he knew that he would not be able to conceal his condition for much longer.

“Yes, I suppose we will,” Severus acquiesced. “What do you want to do?”

“We could contact Luna at The Quibbler and give her an exclusive interview. We all know that Rita Skeeter is going to write whatever trash she wants, so I would rather have our story out before hers,” Harry explained.

“A wise idea.”

“When do you want to do it?” asked Harry.

“Owl Ms. Lovegood and ask her to come to dinner next Thursday. That should give us enough time to prepare ourselves,” replied Severus.

“Thanks, Severus,” Harry said. He knew how hard it would be for his husband to disclose information about their personal life, and he wanted Severus to know that he appreciated his sacrifice.

“For what?”

“Nothing.”

~*~

Luna came and had dinner with the two men, listening to their tale of bonding and love. The next Friday, The Quibbler ran an exclusive about the couple that catapulted the paper into respectability. The expected Howlers did come, but Harry and Severus incinerated them on arrival.

Molly and Arthur Weasley were mad about not knowing about the bonding, but Ron and Hermione helped soothe their ruffled feathers. The professors at Hogwarts were shocked, but a few words from Albus and Minerva allayed their fears.

Harry and Severus were too busy putting together their nursery to pay attention to most of the hullabaloo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

School started again, and Harry was six months pregnant. He returned to Hogwarts with his husband, helping Madam Pince in the library as he was able. Severus had a few more discipline problems than he usually did, most because of the students making inappropriate comments about his marriage, but otherwise, the two men were very happy.

As fall arrived, Harry blossomed. His stomach grew, but his hormones leveled and his sex drive increased. Severus was hard pressed to keep up with his insatiable husband, but he did not complain. He enjoyed letting Harry control their lovemaking, although they now used contraceptive spells so they did not both end up pregnant.

Their auras became an even deeper purple, integrating their powers and those of their unborn child. The two men had never been happier in their lives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On the morning of the Winter Solstice, Harry awakened to a sharp pain in his lower back.

“Severus,” he whispered, trying to awaken his husband. The other man did not budge.

“Severus,” he said again, shaking his lover.

“Not now, Harry,” Severus muttered. “I’m too tired.”

“Get up, Severus!” yelled Harry.

“What’s wrong?” Severus asked, coming instantly awake.

“I think I’m in labor.”

“What?” Severus stared at his husband, sleep still clouding his eyes. Harry could see the minute his words sunk in. Severus’s eyes widened, and he started shaking.

“I’ve got to Floo Poppy. You stay right there,” Severus said, jumping out of bed naked and running to the fireplace.

Harry was about to call his husband again when he came running back into their bedroom.

“Forgot my clothes,” Severus said, throwing on a robe.

~*~

After Severus contacted Poppy, everything seemed to move quickly. Within five minutes, Harry was in a private room in the Infirmary hooked up to fetal monitors and drugged with painkillers. Severus was dressed in sanitary scrubs as Poppy began the surgery.

“Everything will be fine,” Severus soothed. “Our child will be here soon.”

Harry smiled at his husband, squeezing his hand. “I can’t wait to meet him or her.”

“Me either.”

No other words were spoken as Harry and Severus turned their attention to Madam Pomfrey. She was cutting into Harry’s uterus and pulling out the baby. A couple of quick charms and the baby was relatively clean and crying.

Poppy laid the little boy on Harry’s chest while she delivered the placenta and finished the operation. Harry and Severus did not pay any attention to her—their eyes were glued to the child.

Their son had a head full of dark hair and the bluest eyes that either had seen. He had long arms and legs, and what looked like his father’s hands. He had all of his fingers and all of his toes, and was absolutely perfect in every way.

“Look what we did,” whispered Harry.

“Marvelous,” was all Severus could say.

Poppy whisked the baby away to clean him and get his vitals. Once she was done, she wrapped him in a blue blanket with blue booties and a blue cap. She then brought him back to his fathers.

“Who wants to hold him first?” she asked.

“Harry,” Severus answered quickly. His husband had done all of the work for nine months, so he deserved the honor of holding their child first.

Poppy gave the baby to Harry, showing him how to support the little boy’s head, before rushing off to get a bottle.

“What should we name him?” wondered Harry. “Every name that we picked just seems wrong now.”

Severus stared at their child for a long time, trying to find a name befitting such a wonder. Harry had fed and burped their son before Severus said anything.

“Darius,” Severus said.

“Darius? I like it.”

“It seemed fitting that our child have a strong name as he is the light of our lives and the best of both of us. Darius means 'possessing goodness',” explained Severus.

“I think it’s a wonderful name,” Harry said, yawning.

“You’re tired. Go to sleep,” Severus told Harry.

“Goodnight, Severus.”

“Goodnight.”

Throughout the long night, Severus kept watch over his boys. Harry slept peacefully in bed and Darius slept in his arms. As he thought over his life, Severus marveled at his luck. He had found love and created a family. He had come a long way from the miserable, bitter man he used to be. It was all because of Harry. Harry had brought him so much joy, even when he did not recognize it.

Now, he and Harry would embark on another journey together: parenthood. He had no doubt there would be pitfalls and problems—after all, their son was a Potter—but Severus was sure they could handle it.

After all, they managed to love each other unconditionally and produce a child, and those were rare gifts to be cherished forever.